The Shire of Eacham was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Atherton Tableland, a plateau forming part of the Great Dividing Range west of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Malanda, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1910 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the Tableland area to become the Tablelands Region.
Despite its tropical latitude, the high altitude on the tableland allows a dairy industry to operate.
History On 22 Nov 1910 the area around Lake Eacham was incorporated as the Shire of Eacham, taking in part of each of the Shires of Tinaroo, Johnstone and Cairns.
Its first meeting was held at Yungaburra's community hall on 22 February 1911. In April 1912, a site for a shire hall was reserved in Malanda. On 12 April 1913, the shire relocated its offices to Malanda. However, the planned council chambers did not open until 22 Feb 1939.
Around 1920, the shire council began an active role in developing the Malanda Falls into the (now heritage-listed) Malanda Falls Swimming Pool and associated infrastructure, initially for local recreation but then increasingly to attract tourists to the area via Cairns.
On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the Shire of Eacham merged with the Shires of Atherton, Herberton and Mareeba to form the Tablelands Region.
Towns and localities The Shire of Eacham included the following settlements:
Malanda Yungaburra Butchers Creek Glen Allyn Jaggan Lake Eacham Maalan Millaa Millaa North Johnstone Palmerston1 Peeramon Tarzali Upper Barron2
1 - shared with Cassowary Coast Region 2 - split with the former Shire of Atherton
Population Year Population 1933 4,324 1947 3,740 1954 3,771 1961 3,842 1966 3,598 1971 3,327 1976 3,433 1981 4,137 1986 5,135 1991 5,609 1996 6,074 2001 6,076 2006 6,359
Chairmen and mayors 1927: R. E. McHugh 1988–2000: Philip English 2000–2004: Mary Lyle 2004–2008: Ray Byrnes
References
External links University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Eacham Shire